This was a crazy event to cover. On Saturday, Seattle Snow Day trucked in 162,000 pounds of snow from the mountains and dumped it at Seattle Center, where organizers expected around 6,000 people to participate in “The World’s Largest Snowball Fight.” 5,387 snowball chuckers over 18 years old ended up attending Seattle Snow Day — enough to break the Guinness Book of World Records, organizers said. The day started with about a dozen teams building elaborate (and sometimes strikingly not so) forts to protect themselves from the snowball onslaught to come.

A few hours later, and it was a free for all. With the sunny weather earlier in the day, followed by quickly plummeting temperatures by the time of the fight, there was a lot of ice in the snow. And it was dark. Brave people tried to cross through “enemy” lines, but that was a perilous mission. Many, this photographer included, got hit all over (hard) by snowballs flying through the freezing air, but nearly everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. It’s just not every day that an event can bring people together in this city. And if it allows us all to play like kids for a moment, well, all the better.

Participants walk past a fort during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. 5, 837 people came together for a snowball fight that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the event. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

People dance as the final minutes of the snow fort competition wind down during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. 5, 837 people came together for a snowball fight that broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the event. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Claire Todd of Tacoma helps pack snowballs for the Attendible team during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

“It’s like running through a sprinkler of ice,” Jeremiah Hughes from Hoquiam said as he helped shovel snow for a team he he didn’t know during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12 at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Louisa Diaz, center, and friend, Anton Sobolik, react to a large amount of snow falling on them from a snow blower near by during Seattle Snow Day Saturday Jan. 12. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Participants mug for the camera as the snow fort building competition winds down. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brad Kellagher works on the fort for Copious Love Productions, a local theater group, as friend Meg Philips, center, takes a break. “Everyone out here is going all out to win,” Kellagher said. “We just came to have some fun. Win or lose.” Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Event participants take in the view of Seattle Snow Day from the steps outside of the Experience Music Project at Seattle Center. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

The snowball fight began a few minutes before 5 p.m. with no official recognition or start signal. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

A snowball fighter takes cover from behind his fort. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

A participant cheers as he recovers their team flag from another team’s fort while running through the grounds. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Brave people running between the various snow forts try to protect their head and face from incoming snowballs. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Many people were all smiles as snow hurtled through the air, even if it did hurt as it struck them. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Many people were all smiles as snow hurtled through the air, even if it did hurt as it struck them. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Icy conditions lead many to slip and slide around, sometimes into their friends or fellow participants nearby. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

The snowball fight comes to a close. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

Event participants look on as officials from the Guinness Book of World records certify that 5,387 people took part in Seattle Snow Day, enough to break the record for biggest snowball fight. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

An event participant makes a snow angel after officials from the Guinness Book of World records certified that 5,387 people took part in Seattle Snow Day, enough to break the record for biggest snowball fight. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com